Authorities in Australia had seized over 35 tonnes, about four times as heavy as a Tyrannosaurus rex, of illegal vapes worth an estimated $11 million (US$7 million) on Oct. 7.
In the past month, the Australian Border Force (ABF) and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) seized 400,000 imported vapes via air cargo and international mail across four states.
The TGA found that over 92 percent of these vapes (376,000) falsely claimed to be nicotine-free, and at least 68 percent were disposable vapes from brands that failed to meet minimum safety and quality standards.
Laboratory tests revealed that 85 percent of the samples contained nicotine.
The move was applauded by Health Minister Mark Butler but he expressed concerns that the enormous amount of suspected unlawful vapes demonstrated challenges in tackling the problem among young people.
“Vaping is a public health menace that is targeting young Australians,” Mr. Butler said.
He said vapes were “quite obviously marketed towards younger people, including relatively young children—you see this in the packaging, you see this in the flavouring.”
“These aren’t being sold or marketed to middle-aged people who’ve been smoking for decades—they’ve got unicorns on them, they’re pink, they’re blue, they’ve got bubblegum flavour,” he said.
Vaping rates among young Australians have skyrocketed, with one in six 14 to 17-year-olds and a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds using them.
“Young people who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking. So is it any wonder that under 25s are the only cohort in the community currently recording an increase in smoking rates,” Mr. Butler said.
However, he said upcoming government reforms introduced in May would “be pivotal to decreasing vaping rates in Australia and the harm it represents, especially to our young people.”
These reforms include up to five years imprisonment and a financial penalty of up to $1.25 million for those illegally importing or supplying unapproved vapes.
9 in 10 Teens Find Vapes Easy to Access
A study by Australia’s largest cancer charity revealed that nine in ten teenagers aged 14-17 find it easy to access vapes, reinforcing the importance of swift action.Over two-thirds of teenagers who rarely vape have used e-cigarettes, knowing they contain nicotine.
Cancer Council’s Tobacco Issues Committee Chair Alecia Brooks said that we can’t place the burden of managing this public health crisis on parents and teachers with the knowledge of illegal imports occurring.
“Until the planned tobacco and e-cigarette reforms are implemented and enforced, the industry will continue to profit at the expense of young people,” she said.
Industry Exploits Loopholes, Expert Argues
University of Sydney tobacco control expert Professor Becky Freeman has called for tighter vaping import and sales laws.“Our Generation Vape study continues to find children trying and using these products—we are not seeing declines; we need to urgently address access,” she said.
She said that in theory, Australia’s regulatory model should be effective in protecting young people from taking up vaping since a prescription from a medical practitioner is now required to access nicotine-containing products, which must only be used as an aid to quit smoking.
But “manufacturers often exploit regulatory loopholes by failing to label vapes as containing nicotine or falsely claiming they are nicotine-free,” she said.
Ms. Freeman also highlighted the industry’s exploitation of the distraction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which diverted attention from vaping-related issues.
“Tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and fast food industry players have been quick to seize the opportunity to exploit this lack of focus,” she said.
“The Australian Government has been caught off guard by an aggressive industry that seeks to undo decades of effective tobacco control.”
However, she was hopeful about the reforms in the pipeline to reduce smoking, which remains the single most important preventable cause of ill health and death in Australia.
